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The 25 best Skyrim Mods

Tom Hatfield

Jan 17, 2012

Page 1 of 10

(
Want to know what Skyrim looks like when you install 200 mods at random? Find out in our eye-opening, eye-bleaching diary:
Skyrim: Week of Madness
.
)

Skyrim mods are amazing. In the two months since release, thousands of mods have been released, some of them quite spectacular. It's not like Skyrim was an
ugly
game to begin with, but with new high resolution textures and post processing it becomes truly stunning. Then there are the new items, expanded crafting and full UI overhauls.

With so many mods available, choosing them can be a little daunting, which is why we've rounded up the 25 best here for you to enjoy. Check inside for the full list.

Remember, this list will be updated as more mods are released, so if you have any particular favourites you'd like to be included, mention them in the comments and I'll test them out before the next update.

If you're the tweaking type, you'll also want to check our personalised picks of the
Steam Workshop
. Or maybe you'd like to create your own mod. Thanks to the Skyrim Creation Kit it's a lot easier than you think. Our
Skyrim Creation Kit Video Tutorial
is all you need to get started.

Oh, and don't worry if you'd rather sit back and read about someone else's Skyrim adventures. Christopher Livingston's
Elder Strolls diary
will see you right.

1. Sky UI

[embed width="610" height="340"]http://youtu.be/MdDU8loGB1I[/embed]

Ask any PC gamer what Skyrim's biggest flaw is and you'll get one answer: the inventory. The default UI is inelegant, slow and features far too much scrolling. Which is why
Sky UI
is so essential. It doesn't merely fix the problems with Bethesda's interface, it improves it on every level. Icons are now used to easily distinguish items while using less space. Additional information, such as if an item is stolen or poisoned, is clearly displayed. The inventory can even be sorted by value and weight, while a text search lets you find the correct item in a hurry. There is simply no reason
not
to install Sky UI, even those few who don't mind the original interface will find their Skyrim experience improved immeasurably as a result.

2. Midas Magic

[embed width="610" height="340"]http://youtu.be/Locc2VYNEho[/embed]

Midas Magic
was a fantastic magic overhaul mod for Oblivion, which added flashy, powerful new spells to make high level mages even better at setting people on fire with their minds. The Skyrim version is shaping up to be just as good, with spells that summon mini dragons and call down meteor strikes. It also features a brand new way to learn spells, by using 'aurum reactors' dotted around Skyrim.

3. ENBSeries

[embed width="610" height="443"]http://youtu.be/-L-HT2YmqUY[/embed]

The
ENBSeries
mods are famous for adding improved post processing and lighting effects to make games like
GTA4
and
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
look amazing. Now, creator Boris Vorontsov has turned his hand to Skyrim. The result is unsual, but is nonetheless beautiful using brighter, more striking colours than previous ENB mods. Those who don't care for the style should check out the the more muted
Confident ENB
settings instead.

4. Skyrim HD

Skyrim HD is the start of a massive texture overhaul.

Like Quarl's Texture mod for Oblivion or NeilMC's for Fallout 3,
Skyrim HD
is an ambitious project to replace the majority of in game textures with new, high resolution versions. Clocking in at a hefty 1.29GB, this mod already contains huge amounts of textures, and is getting updated all the time. Alternatively there's
Chris's Whiterun Texture pack
, less comprehensive, but just as good.

5. FXAA Post Process Injector

There's a lot of post processing mods for Skyrim, but
FXAA
has emerged as the best. It layers on several handy effects like sharpening, technicolour, sepia and saturation, but the best part is that it's all totally customisable. Modifying the settings file will let you turn settings on and off or adjust them to your preferences, giving you full control over the look and feel of your Skyrim game.

6. Xenius Character Enhancement

Xenius' mods make Skyrim's characters look much nicer.

Xenius has rapidly carved himself a niche as Skyrim's premier character enhancement modder, producing a whole series of texture improving mods at a tremendous rate before packaging them together as
Xenius Character Enhancement
. While so many other modders have spent their time making characters that look more like fashion models than medieval peasants, Xenius stays true to the original art style of Skyrim, and for that we salute him.

7. Val's Crafting Meltdown

Turn your junk into the best weapons in Skyrim with Val's Crafting Meltdown.

Playing Skyrim inevitably results in picking up a lot of items you don't necessarily need. Weapons or armour you aren't properly trained with, or just useless pots and pans, every Dovahkiin ends up with a lot of clutter in their inventory.
Val's Crafting Meltdown
, has an ingenious solution to that problem, giving players the ability to melt down weapons, armour and junk into raw materials like iron and steel. It also provides an invaluable service for archers, letting them use smithing to create arrows, an ability inexplicably missing from the original game. Val's Crafting Meltdown is built to be compatible with other crafting mods, so if want to expand your crafting options, be sure to check out
The Lost Art of the Blacksmith
and
More Craftables
, which let you craft faction specific items like Thieves Guild armour or Skyforge Steel weapons. Alternatively
Craftable Staffs
lets mages get in on the smithing action too.

8. Tytanis

[embed width="610" height="443"]http://youtu.be/ZYZAtUAb-tg[/embed]

The creator of
Tytanis
bills it as 'The Ultimate Mod', and it's certainly comprehensive. The mod adds a whole bundle of crazy new items, powers, spells and perks, each more ridiculous than the last. If you've ever wanted to ride a bear, summon an undead dragon or dual wield two handed weapons then this is the mod for you. Future plans are even more ambitious, with farming, fishing and carpentry in the works.

9. Millenia Weapon Retexture Project

Imagine getting your head stoved in by this beauty.

You spend an awful lot of time in Skyrim looking at swords, either because you're holding one in your hand or because a bandit is enthusiastically trying to insert his into your eyes. Modder Millenia understands this, so he launched his
Weapon Retexture Project
to ensure you get to see the prettiest, highest resolution blade possible in those brief moments before it takes off your head.

10. Deadly Dragons

[embed width="610" height="340"]http://youtu.be/01zTnUem3yE[/embed]

Dragons? Wimps I tell you! I eat 'em for breakfast! So goes the cry of the high level Dragonborn. Spectacular though Skyrim's flying lizards are, they can sometimes be a bit of a pushover in the late game. Thankfully, there's a mod for that.
Deadly Dragons
tweaks Skyrim's biggest monsters to be even more terrifying, including adding all new Dragon types like Storm and Magma to threaten even the hardiest of adventures.

11. Quality World Map with Roads

When I were a lad all this were paper...

Ever get lost trying to navigate the world map in Skyrim? Then
Quality World Map
is the mod for you. It not only upgrades the textures, but hand drawn roads to the map for easy navigation . It also includes the option for a 'classic style' map for those who prefer Oblivion's hand drawn look to Skyrim's flashy 3D. This last feature is a work in progress, but it looks so lovely it's worth trying anyway.

12. Weapons of the Third Era

You know, I got stabbed by something a lot like that in 2002.

Pre-Skyrim most Elder Scrolls fans would tell you Morrowind was the highlight of the series and, despite the excellence of Bethesda's latest entry, Vvardenfell still has a special place in gamers' hearts.
Weapons of the Third Era
aims to bring a little bit of the Dunmer Isle to Skyrim, adding over 50 new weapons with a Morrowind theme. Let's hope this is the first of many mods to recapture the exotic flavour of Vvardenfell.

13. Jaysus Swords

Nice swords love, but you might want to consider some armour to go with them.

For a more general weapons package, look no further than
Jaysus Swords
. Master smith Jaysus has forged 38 lovingly designed weapons for you to craft and wield. The pack offers everything from katanas to cavalry sabres, letting you pick a weapon that fits the look of your Dragonborn.

14. Bellyache's Animal Pack

Finally I can make my wolves look properly gray... look it's important to me, okay?

Skyrim is full of adorable, cuddly animals, most of which will attempt to eat your face at some point. Bellyache's excellent
Animal Pack
contains a variety of different skins to improve and customise your furry friends. Whether you're just improving the default textures, or turning grizzlies into polar bears, this is the mod for you.

15. Proudspire Manor - Dragonborn Edition

A home fit for a Jarl.

Proudspire Manor is the most expensive house in Skyrim, but it doesn't feel
that
much better than starting house Breezehome, which next door to a blacksmiths. Enter
Proudspire Manor - Dragonborn Edition
, which expands and renovates your property, adding a built in smithy, along with extra mannequins and weapon plaques, turning your humble abode into the mansion it was meant to be.

16. Skyrim Online

It may not look like much right now, but Skyrim Online could be the start of something special.

A work in progress, but an exciting one.
Skyrim Online
aims to turn Skyrim into a pseudo MMO, letting players connect to a server where they can see and interact with each other. So far it's pretty simple, with other players appearing only as undressed prisoners, unable to do anything but chat with each other, but it's still a great technical achievement. We can't wait to see where this mod goes once the creation kit has been released.

17. Realistic Smoke and Embers

Realistic Smoke and Embers won't make Skyrim look this good, but it helps.

Another neat little improvement to Skyrim's effects,
Realistic Smoke and Embers
completely overhauls the appearance of fire in the game, improving it greatly. It's the mod that screenshotmancer Duncan '
Dead End Thrills
' Harris used to create this stunning image (along with plenty of other mods and tweaks). If you're playing Skyrim as a fire throwing destruction mage, you
have
to install this mod.

18. Realistic Water

[embed width="610" height="340"]http://youtu.be/ALVHYp9RLjY[/embed]

The water in Skyrim already looks pretty lovely, but
Realistic Water
pushes it that little bit further. Based on high resolution photography, Realistic Water makes Skyrim's streams foam and bubble in a beautiful and convincing way.

19. Skyrim Sunglare

[embed width="610" height="443"]http://youtu.be/bxYV8N5ivQQ[/embed]

If you like lovely sunlight effects
Skyrim Sunglare
is the mod for you. It makes the game's sun produce delicious rays of beamy goodness, including optional lens flare effects for those who favour the 'cinematic' look. There's something special about cresting a mountain and watching the sunbeams break through over the horizon, and this mod makes it even better. If this version isn't to your tastes, try
Alternate Sunglare
from Isoku, the creator of the Realistic Water and Smoke mods.

20. Enhanced Night Sky

[VAMS id="hoxmv2j9B05w6"]

A nice little mod I've enjoyed in previous Bethesda games.
Enhanced Night Sky
replaces the Skyrim's stars with a high resolution texture taken from starfield photography. This version is so seamless it doesn't even effect the in game constallations, and looks simply beautiful.

21. Glowing Ore Veins

Never miss a mining opportunity again with Glowing Ore veins.

If you're like me, you probably played several hours of Skyrim before even realising mining was in the game. The problem is that ore veins don't actually look that different from the surrounding rock. Thankfully,
Glowing Ore Veins
solves that problem, tweaking mineable rocks to make them stand out more from the background. As an added bonus it'll fade back to normal once you've extracted all the ore, once again blending harmlessly into the background.

22. Nicer Snowflakes

Nicer snowflakes has several settings, this one makes Skyrim look like a Christmas card.

There's a lot of snow in Skyrim, so it's a shame it's mostly represented by vague white blobs floating past.
Nicer Snowflakes
fixes that problem completely, replacing the default snow with beautiful, high resolution flakes. There's several flavours to choose from, from realistic to stylised. I like the 'Whimsical' version best, it might not be what snow really looks like, but it's what we all
wish
it did.

23. Map in Full 3D

[VAMS id="l54q3heK57N8m"]

Not so much a mod as a set of tweaks,
Map in full 3D
shows you how to modify Skyrim's ini file to make it possible to zoom the in game map right down to the ground. The result is essentially a free camera mode that lets you roam anywhere in the world. It's like the google street view team was let loose in the frozen north.

24. Vurt's Skyrim Flora Overhaul

Vurt's Flora overhaul makes Skyrim's trees look amazing.

This is going to be one to keep an eye on.
Vurt's Skyrim flora overhaul
is dedicated to improving the quality of the vegetation in Skyrim, starting with trees. It even offers several different colour schemes to let you tailor your foliage to your own desires.

25. No Spider Mod

[VAMS id="llHr02MvP3Ld0"]

Arachnophobes like PC Gamer contributor Richard Cobbett have a hard time with games like Skyrim. Which is why
No Spiders
patches, which remove the offending beasties from the game, are so useful. This first attempt at a spider free Skyrim is particularly hilarious, as it replaces the models of the spiders with completely out of place bears. Honestly, we mostly included this because it's hilarious, if you want a more sensible anti-spider solution, try the
Arachnophobia
mod.

Once again, we're going to keep updating this list with new and interesting mods, so if you know of any good ones we've missed please let us know in the comments.

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